


Reunited By The Sea

by fairy8



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Bittersweet, F/M, Fantasy, Whimsy, this is very out there and whimsical but i hope u enjoy it all the same
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:54:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24867190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairy8/pseuds/fairy8
Summary: The sea is what keeps your love alive.
Relationships: Dong Si Cheng | WinWin/Reader
Kudos: 11





	Reunited By The Sea

**Author's Note:**

> An ode to the little wooden bench on the boardwalk, with the most beautiful and loving inscription engraved on it's side, a testament to a love of ages past.
> 
> "Reunited by the sea."

The waves ebb and flow, water gliding upwards across the surface of the white sand to lick languidly at your feet before quickly retreating back into the sea. The water is cold this time of year, too cold to be enjoyable, so it doesn’t surprise you that the beach is empty aside from yourself. You sniffle and the familiar smell of the salt water along with that of the crisp, cold air invades your senses and screams _winter_. 

Ten wasn’t fond of the idea of you going to the beach this morning, not now that the temperature is beginning to drop. But then again, he never has been a fan of your escapades. 

“You’re never going to get rid of that cold. It’s gonna get worse and you’re going to end up in the hospital with a bad case of pneumonia,” he scolded. “Also, your toes are gonna freeze off because the water is so cold. Then, after you get out of the hospital, you won’t be able to walk anywhere on your own and I’ll be forced to wheel you around everywhere like your own personal servant and I’m gonna have to give up my social life and that’ll suck.” His tone was playful, but it wasn’t enough to distract you from the worry in his eyes. 

You nodded and patted him on the back, telling him that you’ll stop going soon and that he doesn’t have to worry about you so much. He nodded and pretended to believe you, saying nothing else as he tried not to focus on the fact that his nagging used to make you laugh. He let you go, but only after forcing you into a winter coat and wrapping his fluffiest scarf around your neck.

A seagull cries overhead and snaps you out of your daydream. You lay down so that your back is against the sand and look up to watch it as it flies. It’s alone, flying in circles, a streak of white against the bleak, grey sky. Your mind races with questions. Did it abandon its flock, or did its flock abandon it? Why is it not flying south, searching for a warm oasis far away from this winter prison? There’s no way for you to find out the answers—maybe there are none. Perhaps the gull itself cannot even understand why it continues to stay, suffering in the cold when warmth is only a short journey away.

It reminds you of yourself, and you want to scream.

However, it’s then that a figure rises from the water. He doesn’t always appear, but the times he does is what keeps you coming to the seaside. It’s as if the ocean mist itself is what forms him, making him shimmer translucently in the early morning light. Slowly, more of him becomes perceivable—his soft, blonde locks, falling messily onto his forehead, his warm, brown eyes that look at you with the most love you’ve ever known, and plush, pink lips that you’re as familiar with as your own. 

He looks beautiful, just like always.

He sits next to you on the sand, his left hand landing so close to your right that you almost reach out and grab it. Almost. You know that you can’t, or the illusion will break. He smiles at you and you smile back, not noticing that the salt you’re tasting is that of your own tears and not ocean spray. 

“Hello, bǎo bèi.” His voice is like honey and simply hearing it is enough to satisfy your need to touch him, to feel him. His voice is a reminder of sweet nothings whispered along with comforting touches and gentle kisses, a reminder of words that electrified you along with hands on your hips and teeth leaving blooming marks of purple and red.

His voice is a reminder of a perfect life—a perfect love—that flourished once upon a time. 

“Sicheng.” You say his voice softly, like a prayer, as if you’re scared that being too loud would ruin the moment. “I’ve missed you.”

The morning sun begins to rise, creating a rainbow glory of water droplets around Sicheng’s head. He looks like an angel, both beautiful and unreal.

“I know,” he says. “I’ve missed you more. I’m sorry it’s been so long since my last visit.” 

“It’s alright. I’m just happy you came.” 

The pair of you sit in silence, as close to one another as you can possibly be without touching. A lot of the time you have spent with him has been like this, not because there’s a lack of things to say, but because you find such comfort in the presence of one another. No words can express how strongly the feelings between you are, and you feel no need to try. 

Your head lolls to the side and you jolt awake—you hadn’t even realized you were dozing off. Your body must have taken the comfort you felt as its cue to catch up on some much needed sleep. Your breath quickens and you panic for a moment, scared that you would have subconsciously brushed your head against Sicheng’s shoulder and that he would have disappeared without you even noticing. However, the sound of humming—his humming—soothes you quickly. You look over at him, still sitting exactly where he was before, and he stops once he realizes you’re awake.

“I wanted to let you sleep,” Sicheng tells you, smiling at you softly. “Whenever I see you, you always seem so… sad. But in your sleep, you seem so peaceful.”

You shake your head. “It’s not sleep that brings me peace, it’s you. I don’t want to waste any of the time I have with you.” 

“It’s not wasted if you’re getting the rest you need. I want you to be healthy.” 

Those words, the same ones you would always tell him, make you want to cry. You fight back the tears, and open your heart to him. “Things have been hard,” you tell him. “The house is empty without you even though Ten is living with me now. I still look for you sometimes, and I think he does too.” 

“Why look for me when you know where I am?”

You open your mouth to answer before deciding against it and deciding on a different topic of conversation. “Kun is engaged.” 

Sicheng’s face lights up, looking more like himself, more real. It’s almost easy for you to ignore the fact that he’s fading more and more with every passing moment as the mist that created him begins to return to the sea. “Really? That’s amazing! I’m so relieved that things have been going well between him and Jinah.” 

“They’ve stayed strong through everything,” you muse, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips. “They’re good for each other. Ten and his boyfriend are still together too and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re next—they’re always together at the house.” 

Sicheng says something but you can’t hear him over the sound of someone calling your name. You look behind you to see Ten walking towards you, holding a bag in one hand and a blanket in the other. Your heart pounds against your ribcage with a panicked rhythm as you turn back to Sicheng who is now barely visible.

“Love, what was that? I couldn’t hear you!” 

He leans forward and ghosts his lips over your own. As he pulls back, tears stream down your face; you wish you could feel him. “I wish… we… married and…” 

“What? Sicheng, please stay!” 

“Goodbye… I will… soon… love you… my bǎo bèi.” 

And just like that, he’s gone. As fleeting as a dream. 

You claw at your chest, desperate to stop the pain that burns from the inside out, making your body come aflame despite the cold wind whipping around you. “I love you, too.” 

Ten sits where Sicheng once was and tosses the bag to the side, throwing the blanket around you and pulling you into his chest. “Oh god, oh sweetheart, no, no, it’s okay.” He rocks you back and forth as you sob into his neck. “Shh, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’m here.” 

Once you calm down, Ten pulls away from you and cups your face, wiping away stray tears with his thumbs. “Is that what it’s always like when you come here?”

You shake your head. “No, not always. Only sometimes.”

“I don’t want you coming out here anymore, please,” he begs. “It scares the shit out of me. I’m always worried sick about you.” 

You shake your head. “Don’t worry. This is good for me. I promise.” You don’t give him time to argue and point towards the bag he brought with him. “What is that?” 

He frowns, obviously not happy with the forcible change of topic, but he doesn’t push you. He grabs the bag and pulls out a bottle of wine. When he sees the questioning look on your face, he goes on to explain. “I didn’t want you out here alone today. I figured I’d bring this out here and we could make a toast to his memory.” 

“That sounds nice, Ten. Thank you.” 

He takes out two plastic cups and fills them, handing one to you and keeping one for himself. “Not the classiest, but it’ll do,” he jokes.

You smile. “It’s perfect.”

Holding out his cup, he says, “To Sicheng.”

“To Sicheng,” you echo, tapping your cup against his own.

“May he rest in peace.” 

You down your cup and smile at the sea.


End file.
